Picture snow covered pines, a white-blanketed ground dotted with pawprints from the various creatures roaming the area. It seems as though you would be staring into a Norman Rockwell sketch from long ago, however you would be standing right in the midst of McConnell’s Mill State Park in northwestern Pennsylvania. Winter is the perfect time to grab your camera and head out for a hike. The quiet paths, the soft falling snow and all within a short drive. McConnell’s Mill is located just outside of Butler, PA in Lawrence County. After your walk in a winter wonderland you can shop and dine in some at some of PA’s most quaint attractions. But don’t take my word for it, visit McConnell’s Mill to find out for yourself.

Photo courtesty of Paul Vladuchick @ Flickr.

Herwig Brandstatter (Brandy), his wife, Gundi and their son, Bernd… have vevived their passion and desire to bring the tast of Austria to Central Pennsylvania. Herwig’s Austrian Bistro sits proudly on the main drag of downtown State College and directly across from the Penn State Campus. Today, they are packed every lunch and dinner and cook for a generation that not only gets the “European Sophistication” but loves and supports it. Students, non-students, young and old come to Herwig’s (heck, even my mom and dad love it). The food here is awesome, lovingly prepared, hot, and in large supply! Unlike the chain gang which has everything shipped in frozen from a commissary kitchen sometimes hundreds of miles away, everything at Herwig’s is prepared in the morning for that day and evening (Brandy even makes bratwurst from scratch, using meat from a local butcher shop). So if they run out of food, they close. Learn more about Herwig’s and my other favorite central PA restaurants here!

Searching for gifts around the holidays can prove to be a daunting task. Have no fear, for Pennsylvania is here. PA is known for its specialty shops all over the state including Amish and Dutch crafts and food, vintage toys and art and who can forget the official PA team apparel. Whether you are looking for something to reflect the history and culture of Pennsylvania for your grandmother or you really want to earn brownie points with your in-laws by getting that hard to find Steelers jersey, PA has it all. With several outlet malls and specialty boutiques throughout each region, you’ll be sure to woo everyone on your gift list this year.

Photo courtesy of Tracy Lee Carroll @ Flickr.

It’s about that time. The holidays are right around the corner. What better way to celebrate than taking the family to a Christmas Tree Farm in Pennsylvania for some quality time? I remember packing into the car with my family years ago, signing along at the top of our lungs to carols on the radio with an indescribable feeling inside, the excitement, the warmth, and the joy. We would search high and low for the perfect live tree to set up and decorate. Admittedly, the weather was always cold and my siblings and I usually fought over which tree was “perfect” but knowing we got to go home to a warm house and drink hot chocolate while our mom and dad fought to get the tree up without wrecking the rest of the house. Ah, memories. Make some of your own and check out the plethora of tree farms that PA offers.

Photo courtesy of Holly Northrop @ Flickr.

For those of us who absolutely cannot stand long lines, annoying music and searching for a parking spot that’s even remotely close to the store, the internet has become our saving grace during the holiday shopping season. Unfortunately, sometimes I have to go to a store, which brings me to the topic at hand: Dan’s Camera City in Allentown.

I love Dan’s! Thanks to Dan’s wide variety of photo gift options, it’s the place I always find myself going when I just can’t figure out what to get someone. My grandparents’ 50th wedding anniversary? I had Dan’s turn their wedding portrait into a photo blanket. My “you don’t have to get me anything” dad for Christmas? I had Dan’s turn a photo from his Alaskan vacation into a canvas print.So when I was stuck on what to get my grandmother for Christmas this year - because she doesn’t need any more knickknacks - I went to Dan’s. Armed with 12 photos of me and my cousins from the past 20 years on a zip drive, I was able to create my own photo calendar using a kiosk in Dan’s DigiPrint lounge.

The best part about my trip to Dan’s? I came away with two photo calendars for the price of one with their November coupon. Hey, just because I hate to shop doesn’t mean I don’t know how to find a good deal!

Big Spring State Park is near Fowlers Hollow State Park. It is located on PA 274 at the intersection of Hemlock Road, this quiet park provides access to the Iron Horse Trail. The park provides a few picnic pavilions for a nice afternoon lunch.

Watch out for wild animals though, you are quite into the woods. While taking pictures, we found this black snake had made it’s home in the rafters.

Ok, admit it. In the past when you heard the words “wine” and “Pennsylvania” together in a sentence, you didn’t immediately think of our fine state as becoming the next Napa. But opinions are changing as the Commonwealth continues to develop a reputation for its many fine wineries. In the Lehigh Valley region of the state, we’re proud to boast nine family-owned and operated wineries that make up the Lehigh Valley Wine Trail. These hard-working folks produce wines that regularly win awards on local, national and even international levels.

Attending one of their six themed weekend events is a great way to experience the wine trail. My personal favorite is Harvest Weekend in September. It’s a great time of year to visit since the vines are full with fruit and the weather is warm but comfortable. The events usually include tours of the vineyards, tastings, food pairings and live musical entertainment. While the events are over for 2008, they’ll resume again in spring 2009 with the annual March Madness month-long passport event. Each winery also grows its own version of Chambourcin, which is the official wine grape of Lehigh Valley. It produces a light red wine that’s on the dry side. o check out the Lehigh Valley Wine Trail next time you’re on a road trip to the eastern part of the state. I’m sure you’ll be impressed with what you find and leave with a bottle or two… or maybe even a case.

Ah, Scranton. “The Electric City” is home to the Electric Trolley Museum, which features vintage trolleys on display, interactive displays and a kids exhibit. While you will see live railways you can also take a peek at the Trolley Model Display showcase and stock certificates. Equipment and street signs and lights combine to make this museum as lifelike as possible and educational too. You will learn the story of the electric railway and its affect on Pennsylvania. This winter, take a trip to the museum and you can catch a ride during the holiday season.

Photo courtesy of Lhoon @ Flickr.

College sports are a huge draw all over the country.  The passion exudes from athletes who still play for fun and not yet for money.  And that college atmosphere is contagious with its community. We’re lucky to have East Stroudsburg University nearby.  I, for one, can’t wait for the upcoming winter sports schedule.

The season kicks off this Saturday with the 42nd annual ESU Open Wrestling Tournament.  This happens to be one of the oldest Division 1 wrestling tournaments in the country, and always brings in talent from around the country.  Men’s and Women’s hoops are gearing to go, and the men start play this Sunday against PSU-Schuylkill.  The team returns several seniors and looks forward to a terrific year.  And look for men’s volleyball this winter with big games against Harvard, Rutgers, and NYU.  Considering the low ticket prices and high levels of skill and action, college sports provide some of the best entertainment for your buck.  I’ll see you on campus.

Photo courtesy of Steve White @ Flickr.

The John Heinz History Museum in Pittsburgh has gotten a face lift! Ok, the website has. Visitors can see how Pittsburgh changed the world or get that warm fuzzy feeling from Heritage Holidays and can even become a member of the HHC. The newest exhibit, Pittsburgh: A Tradition of Innovation, is a 16,000 square foot exhibit with hands on activities and audio-visual displays. The museum also sheds light on Pittsburgh Born, Pittsburgh Bred: famous Pittsburgher’s over the past 250 years. Stop by the site to get a sneak peek at what you can expect at the museum this winter. If you are social savvy you can also track them down on Facebook, Youtube and Twitter to get more information on one of the steel city’s greatest museums.

Lawrenceville, PA has everything I love about Pittsburgh right in a row. Cupcakes at Dozen, pizza at Piccolo Forno, vintage gems at the several thrift shops and great art in a collection of galleries. Today I lunched at a place I’d never been before, Coca Café and can safely say it is one of my favorite restaurants in the city. Just a few doors down from Piccolo, Coca Café sits comfortably on the corner with a trendy red and blue paint job. The specials were written on the sign outside and my eye went directly to the pumpkin bisque, YUM! The eclectic chairs and tables made the café just funky enough without trying too hard. I ordered the chicken and artichoke wrap, which was a great combination of warm and toasty yet light and fresh. Of course, I had to do a cappuccino and biscotti afterward. I couldn’t decide what kind to get, so I had our lovely server choose her favorite, which turned out to be vanilla apricot, YUM again! The music was just loud enough to get you groovin’ in your seat without inhibiting conversation. And something I love about local places; they accept local artwork that they display, which gives them an extra gold start in my book. Yet another Pittsburgh gem that dazzled me to the point of blogging, check them out online!

I’ll go anywhere in search of what I need —which my wife defines as “wanting it so bad that I trick myself into thinking that I need it.” This time, though, she was the catalyst for this excursion. We’d heard about the Rockvale Outlets in Lancaster, PA, which has a great collection of shops to help you dress yourself, your kids, or your home. We’re fans of Pottery Barn stuff, and my wife’s big on holiday decorating, so we made the 90-minute trek to get ready for the holidays. Heading west along route 30, we were in a portrait of Amish country; everything from one-horse buggies to fields of corn and grazing animals to handmade furniture lining narrow streets made the 90-minute drive an adventure. As you can tell from the blog picture, we whizzed past Dutch Haven, a place known for great shoo-fly pie. My wife took a quick pic with her phone camera and made me promise to stop there on the way home. It’s obvious why Dutch Haven has a steady stream of clientele. Certainly, any person with a beast of a sweet tooth will dig shoo-fly pie—we did. We’ve been up to Rockvale Outlets a few times now, and have found great stuff each time. And with Christmas approaching, we’re planning to visit Lancaster, PA for the famous holiday events that attract people from as far as New York. Hopefully, Dutch Haven will be open then too. You’ll definitely find more than you bargained for in Lancaster PA.

Big Pocono State Park is located on the summit of Camelback Mountain, this park is worth the trip if not just for the views. You can also see the states of New Jersey and New York from here on a clear day. There is a paved road that circles the summit for great views all the way around.

During the winters this mountain has many active ski slopes for people who enjoy winter sports.

In 2005, I was visiting Missoula, Montana and attended a local production of this bizarre play called Bug. It was held in the back room of a restaurant with seating for, maybe, 50 people. A year later, Ashley Judd brought Bug to life on the national big screen.So when I attended the premier of Allentown filmmaker Zeke Zelker’s new movie, InSearchOf, I couldn’t hope but wonder if this film was going to hit the national spotlight in 2009? I guess only time will tell. Anyway, I’m not a professional film critic, but I will say this: The subject matter brought to mind the movie Kids and the plot driver reminded me of the movie Crash (seemingly random characters whose lives become intertwined). So even though it’s been done before and it covers one the most taboo topics in this country, I urge you to open your mind and go see InSearchOf for the following reasons:
Support PA filmmaking (don’t forget to go see Transformers 2 next year, part of which was filmed in Bethlehem). Two famous actors star in it: Michael Rady and Dan Lauria. The end result is remarkably professional. It’s very cool to see places from around Lehigh Valley in a real movie. Some examples include: The Sterling Hotel, Allentown Rescue Mission, the Ritz at the Allentown Fairgrounds. Form your own opinion about it and share it here! InSearchOf will be showing at the Rave Motion Pictures in Center Valley, Pa. until November 13, Googleworks in Reading, Pa. November 14 – 20 and the State Theatre in State College, Pa. November 15 – 20.

For someone moving into a new city, the thought of making contacts, finding friends, and learning the area can be rather intimidating. Even for people that have lived in a particular city for some time may not have the opportunity to sneak away from their office and make those critical business contacts we all know are crucial to moving up in the world. Even if you’ve got the best profile on Myspace or LinkedIn, there’s just no substitution for good ole face to face networking and personal connection. Fortunately for many Pennsylvanians, there are Young Professionals organizations across the state designed to help you meet new people, have fun, and get connected.
My own experience is with the Harrisburg Young Professionals (HYP), a very active group with over 500 members that understand the power of networking and have a vision for continuing the transformation of the burgeoning city of Harrisburg.  With annual dues of only $30, members of HYP receive a discount card good for a number of Harrisburg businesses, monthly opportunities to mingle with other young professionals, access to multiple committees, the opportunity to attend member exclusive events, join the HYP book or dinner club, play in one of HYP’s many sports leagues, and more. There’s not a better way to meet new people, explore and support the city, and have a blast in the process. For more information about the Harrisburg Young Professionals, visit their website at www.HYP.org.